The points of issue
First printing has the publication date on the title page and a full number line down to 1 on the copyright page, bound in green cloth with copper/gold spine titling; first-state jacket WITHOUT the Caldecott Medal seal, oblong large format, with the price present on the flap.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin 1981 is the true first; Van Allsburg won the 1982 Caldecott Medal, so a seal-free first-state jacket is the point. (The Polar Express is already in the live index; this is a distinct earlier title.)
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings lack the full number line down to 1; book-club copies carry a blind-stamp and are unpriced. Jackets bearing the gold Caldecott seal are later states.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Jumanji a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the publication date on the title page and a full number line down to 1 on the copyright page, bound in green cloth with copper/gold spine titling; first-state jacket WITHOUT the Caldecott Medal seal, oblong large format, with the price present on the flap.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Houghton Mifflin 1981 is the true first; Van Allsburg won the 1982 Caldecott Medal, so a seal-free first-state jacket is the point. (The Polar Express is already in the live index; this is a distinct earlier title.)
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings lack the full number line down to 1; book-club copies carry a blind-stamp and are unpriced. Jackets bearing the gold Caldecott seal are later states.
I have a first edition of Jumanji — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.